Machines for assembling shoe bottom units



March 12, 1957 J. w. LONEY MACHINES FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE BOTTOM UNITS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1954 Inventor John Wloney March 12, 1957 J. W. LONEY ,78

' MACHINES FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE BOTTOM UNITS Filed April 22, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f rw 7 1,26

Inventor John Wloney B is A 61y March 12, 1957 J. w. LONEY MACHINES FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE BOTTOM UNITS Filed April 22, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 r m n e U rm John Wloney United States Patent MACHINES FOR ASslljiMiBglNG SHOE BOTTOM N T John W. Loney, Brockton, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass, in corporation of New Jersey Application April 22, 1954, Serial No. 424,837 7 Claims. (Cl. 12-450) This invention relates to shoe machines and is herein illustrated in its applications to machines for assembling shoe bottom units. Such units, as herein illustrated, comprise a resilient metallic shank stiffener of less than shoe bottom width and a fiber member or backer to which the shank stiffener is attached. In the case of shoe bottom units provided for flat lasted shoes the backer, in most cases, is of insole width but in the case of shoe bottom units provided for shoes having ribbed insoles the backer corresponds in Width to the space between the insole ribs. The fiber member or backer is, in most cases, a shank and heel piece but in certain types of shoe construction the backer terminates at the heel breast line.

In the commercial manufacture of shoe bottom units of the type above described it is now common practice to provide for the attachment of the metallic shank stiffener to the backer by providing the stiffener with prongs, usually struck from the body of the stiffener, and fastening the stiffener to the backer by forcing the prongs through the backer and clenching them on the reverse side. One convenient method of uniting pronged shank stiffeners and backers consists in assembling a stiffener and a backer and passing the assembly between driven pressure rolls which force the prongs of the stiffener through the backer and clench them against the reverse side of the backer in one operation. Heretofore it was the practice to assemble shank stiffeners and backers manually and to present them manually to power driven pressure rolls which operated to fasten the parts together as above described. In order for the assembling of shoe bottom units of the type above described to be practicable from an economic standpoint a high rate of production must be maintained and it has been found that the manual assembly of shank stiffeners and backers at the production rate required is not sufficiently accurate, in the case of the average operator, to provide consistently satisfactory shoe bottom units. Furthermore, the manual presentation of the work pieces to power driven pressure rolls proved to be a hazardous operation.

In order to eliminate the hazard in the operation of assembling such bottom units and in order to insure the assembling of the work pieces in accurately predetermined relation to each other, it is an object of the present invention to provide a machine which determines the location of the work pieces relatively to each other, facilitates their presentation to the pressure applying rolls which fasten them together, and adequately protects the operator from injury by the pressure rolls.

With these and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the present invention in one aspect thereof consists inthe provision in a machine for assembling shoe bottom units, of a carrier for inserting work pieces between two mutually engaging pressure applying rolls, said canrier having means constructed and arranged to engage opposite edges of a shank stiffener thereby positively to position the stiffener relatively to the carrier, and means constructed and arranged to engage opposite edges of a shoe bottom member thereby positively to position the member relatively to the carrier and relatively to the stiffener. As hereinafter described, the shoe bottom member is a fiber backer which may be any one of the various constructions hereinafter described. The positioning means are constructed and arranged to permit freedom of movement of the stiffener and the member longitudinally thereof relatively to the carrier by the operation of the pressure applying rolls. The illustrated carrier is constructed and arranged to mount alternatively any one of a plurality of members for supporting shank stiffeners. For positioning the backer the carrier is provided with means, herein illustrated as adjustable gage members, for gaging the position of the hacker relatively to the stiffener. Each of the members for supporting shank stiffeners is constructed to receive in predetermined relation thereto a shank stiffener of a predetemined width and contour, a separate supporting member being provided for each size and shape of shank stiffener. For pressing the backer against the upwardly projecting prongs of a shank stiffener during the advancement of the assembly toward the pressure applying rolls, the illustrated machine is provided with means for applying downward pressure to the backer, the pressure applying means, in the illustrated organization, being a manually operated presser foot mounted on the'canrier. As shown in the drawings, a single manually operated member is provided for actuating the presser foot and for advancing the carrier to bring the work pieces into position to be engaged by the rolls.

These and other features of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating parts of a machine embodying the features :of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a carrier and its mounting means illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating parts of the carrier;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 showing the carrier at a different stage in the operation of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating particularly the work positioning and gaging elements of the carrier with a steel shank stiffener mounted therein;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 5 showing a shank and heel piece positioned by the gaging elements;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a pronged steel shank stiffener;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the pressure rolls of the machine;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating one of a plurality of interchangeable work supporting members;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a shoe bottom unit assembled by the illustrated machine;

Fig. ll is a perspective view similar to Fig. 9 showing a work positioning member of a construction different from that shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a plan view illustrating a shoe bottom unit of a type different from that shown in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 13 is a perspective view similar to Figs. 9 and ll showing a third type of work positioning member.

Referring to Fig. l the illustrated machine comprises cooperating pressure rolls 20 and 22 which are power driven in opposite directions and are constructed and arranged to receive between them in pressing engagement two work pieces herein illustrated as a pronged steel shank stiffener such as that illustrated in Fig. 7 and a fiber shoe bottom element or backer such, for example, as the shank and heel piece 24 illustrated in Fig. 10. The pressure roll 20 is fixed to a shaft 23 which is mounted in bearings in two journal members or slides one of which is illustrated in Fig. 8 and identified by the numeral 25, and the pressure roll 22 is fixed to a shaft 29 journaled in fixed bearings in the machine frame. The journal member 25 is slidably mounted in a vertical slot in the machine frame and urged downwardly by the resilient pressure of a spring 27. This spring, together with a corresponding spring acting on the journal member at the opposite side of the roll 20 provides the resilient downward presure of the roll whereby the work pieces are assembled and secured together as hereinafter described. In the operation of the illustrated machine a pronged shank stiffener is mounted on a carrier, as shown in Fig. 5, with its attaching prongs pointed upwardly and a fiber shank and heel piece is superposed upon the shank stiffener in the position illustrated in Fig. 6. While the shank and heel piece is pressed against the attaching prongs of the shank stiffener by a presser foot 26, as shown in Fig. 4, the carrier is advanced to bring the leading edge of the shank and heel piece 24 to the operating station which, in the illustrated machine, is the line where the pressure rolls meet. The manual pressure of the presser foot 26 against the shank and heel piece is maintained after the pressure rolls take control of the shank and heel piece in order to insure a contact of the shank and heel piece with the prongs of the steel shank stiffener sufficient to prevent any displacement of the shank and heel piece relatively to the shank stiffener as the assembly approaches the meeting line of the pressure rolls. In order to insure an effective gripping action of the upper roll 26 on the shank and heel piece suitable teeth are formed in the work-engaging peripheral surface of the roll. As shown in Fig. 4- the teeth are rectilinear in shape and extend widthwise of the peripheral surface of the roll in parallel relation to each other and are uniformly spaced about the periphery of the roll. The passage of the shank stiffener and the shank and heel piece between the rolls forces the prongs of the shank stiffener through the shank and heel piece and clenches the prongs on the upper surface of the shank and heel piece in order to secure the parts together in their assembled relation to form the shoe bottom unit illustrated in Fig. 10.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the carrier is herein illustrated as a slide 28 having its opposite side margins rabbeted to enter grooves 30 formed in the inner side walls of two parallel rails 32 which provide a suitable track for the movement of the slide from its rest position, illustrated in Fig. l, to its advanced position illustrated in Fig. 4. The rest position of the slide is determined by the engagement of the forward edge face of the slide with an abutment member or crossbar 34 mounted in the forward and portions of the rails 32. For returning the slide 28 to its rest position a tension spring 36 (Fig. 4) has its forward end anchored to the crossbar 34 and its rear end anchored to a pin (not shown) projecting downwardly from the slide 28. In order to permit the slide to move freely in the rails 32 the slide is provided with four rollers 38 (Fig. 2) mounted on suitable pins 40 fixed in the slide 28 and projecting outwardly into cylindrical recesses within which the rollers are received. As shown in Fig. 2, the recesses are open at the bottom to permit the four rollers to extend slightly below the base of the slide 28 and support the slide by engagement with the bottom walls of the grooves 30. At their forward ends the rails are secured to a flat plate 42 by headed screws 44 and at their rear ends the rails are connected by a tie rod 46 extending through a sleeve 48 which spaces the rails from each other. The forward ends of the rails rest on a bench (not shown) and the rear ends are elevated by legs 50 herein illustrated as plates mounted in shallow grooves in the outer surfaces of the rails respectively. In order to provide for vertical adjustment of the rear ends of the rails the legs 50 have formed therein vertical slots 52. For securing the legs to the rails the tie rod 46 extends through the slots 52 and has clamping nuts 54 mounted thereon. Referring to Fig. 3, the slide 28 has formed therein a recess or openended groove 56 to provide for the mounting of any one of a plurality of inserts or plates, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 3, and identified by the numeral 58. The thickness of the plate 58 corresponds to the depth of the groove 56 and its peripheral shape is identical with the shape of the groove 56. A headed screw 60 is provided for attaching the plate 58 to the slide. The plate 58 has formed therein an open-ended longitudinal groove 62 centrally located widthwise of the plate. Thegroove 62 is shaped to recei e a steel shank stiffener of a predetermined size and style, such for example as the shank stiffener 64, illustrated in Fig. 7. To that end the base of the groove 62 has a concave longitudinal curvature complemental to the convex longitudinal curvature of the shank stiffener 64. The shank stiffener is positioned lengthwise thereof in the groove 62 by an abutment screw 66 (Fig. 5) at the forward end portion of the groove. The abutment screw may be mounted alternatively in any one of a plurality of tapped holes 68 formed in the plate 58, the position of the screw being determined by the size and style of the shank stiffener. A fiber shank and heel piece such, for example, as the shank and heel piece 24, illustrated in Fig. 6, is positioned relatively to a shank stiffener mounted in the carrier by an end gage 70, two side gages 72 adjacent to the heel end of the shank and heel piece and two side gages 74 adjacent to the forward end portion of the shank and heel piece. Referring to Fig. 4, the end gage 70 is secured to the slide 28 by a headed screw 76 which extends through a longitudinal slot 78 formed in the gage member, the slot being of sufficient length to provide for the required adjustment of the gage member. Similarly, the side gage members or pins 72 and 74 are mounted in plates 80 which are slotted to permit adjustment thereof relatively to headed screws 82 which secure the plates to the slide 28.

The illustrated machine is adapted to assemble any one of a wide variety of shoe bottom units demanded by the shoe trade and to that end an insert, such as the insert 58 above referred to, is provided for each style of shank stiffener which the machine is required to handle. For example, the insert 84, illustrated in Fig. ll, is constructed to receive very narrow shank stiffeners and the insert 86 illustrated in Fig. 13 is constructed to receive relatively Wide shank stiffeners. In certain types of shoe bottom units the fiber piece or backer terminates in the region of the heel breast line and the shank stiffener extends heelwardly beyond the end of the fiber piece. See, for example, the bottom unit illustrated in Fig. -12, comprising a short fiber piece 88 and a steel shank stiffener 90 which extends heelwardly beyond the end of the fiber piece. In assembling shoe bottom units of this type a forked type of end gage is employed for positioning the fiber piece lengthwise thereof relatively to the shank stiffener, the space between the bifurcations of the gage member providing the required clearance for the heel end portion of the shank stiffener. Referring to Fig. 11, a forked end gage is identified by the numeral 92. In this case the end gage is attached to the insert 84 thus distinguishing it from the end gage 70, illustrated in Fig. 4, which is secured to the slide 28. The end gage 92 is provided with an open-ended slot 94 to provide a suitable range of adjustment of the end gage relatively to a headed screw 96 which attaches the end gage to the insert. The space between the bifurcations of the end gage 92 is only slightly greater than the width of the groove 98 which receives the shank stiffener thus permitting the end gage to position a relatively narrow fiber piece such as that illustrated in Fig. 12. On the other hand, the insert 86, illustrated in Fig. 13, is equipped with a forked gage 100 having a relatively wide space between its bifurcations to receive a shank stiffener having a width corresponding to the relatively wide groove '102 formed in the insert 86. It will be understood that the inserts 84 and 86 are employed in conjunction with an end gage such as the end gage 70, shown in Fig. 9, when these inserts are employed in assembling shoe bottom units of the type illustrated in Fig. in which the rear portion of the shank piece extends heelwardly beyond the end of the steel shank stiffener.

The illustrated presser foot 26 for holding the fiber piece in contact with the prongs of the shank stiffener is arranged to register with the shank stiffener receiving groove in the insert. In order to provide for longitudinal adjustment of the presser foot for operation on different sizes and styles of shoe bottom units the presser foot has a rectilinear shank portion which is adjustably mounted in a cylinder 104 and secured in adjusted posit-ion therein by a clamping screw 106 which engages a slabbed-off surface 108 formed in the shank portion of the presser foot. The cylinder 104 terminates at its lower end in a block 110 which is formed integrally with two cylindrical hub sections 112 projecting laterally in opposite directions from the block 110 and terminating at the inner walls of two bosses 114 and 115 projecting upwardly from the forward end portion of the slide 28. A pin (not shown), projecting from the left hub 112 is mounted to rotate in the boss 115 and the shank portion of a headed screw 116 in the right hub 112 provides a bearing for the hub in the boss 114. The presser foot is normally held retracted (as shown in Fig. l) by a torsion spring 118 surrounding the left hub 112, the retracted position of the presser foot being determined by the engagement of a pin 120 projecting from the block L10 with the forward end face of the slide 28. In order to facilitate the movement of the presser foot 26 from its retracted position in Fig. 1 to its work engaging posit-ion illustrated in Fig. 4 a thumb lever in the form of a bent plate .122 is secured by screws 124 to the block 110. The plate 122 also provides a convenient means whereby the operator may advance the slide 28 and the work parts mounted thereon in order to bring the work into position to be engaged by the roll-s 20 and 22, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the operation of the illustrated machine a resilient steel shank stiffener such, for example, as the shank stiffener '64 illustrated in Fig. 5, is mounted in the groove in the plate 58 with its heel end in contact with the abutment screw 66 and its insole engaging surface facing downwardly. The illustrated shank stiffener is provided with four prongs 126 st-ruck from opposite margins of the shank stiffener. When the shank stiffener is in its position illustrated in Fig. 5 the prongs 126 are directed upwardly for attaching engagement with a fiber shoe bot-tom element such, for example, as the shank and heel piece 24 illustrated in Fig. 6. After locating the shank stiffener in the groove in the plate 58 the operator superposes the shank and heel piece upon the shank stiffener. The position of the shank and heel piece relatively to the shank stiffener is determined by the engagement of the heel end of the shank and heel piece with the end gage 70 and by the engagement of the opposite side edges of the shank and heel piece with the side gages 72 and 74. It will be understood that the end gage and the side gages will have been adjusted to position the shank and heel piece relatively to the shank stiffener in accordance with the specifications of the shoe manufacturer for whom the shoe bottom unit is being manufactured. After so locating the work pieces the operator manually actuates the thumb lever 122 to bring the presser foot 26 into engagement with the shank and heel piece 24, as shown in Fig. 4, and after the presser foot has come into engagement with the shank and heel piece the operator continues the actuation of the thumb lever to advance the slide 28 in order to bring the leading edge of the shank and heel piece into position to be engaged by the pressure rolls 20 and 22. The pressure of the presser foot 26 against the shank and heel piece is maintained while the shank and heel piece is advanced by the pressure rolls thus to insure a sufi'icient pressure of the shank and heel piece against the prongs of the shank stiffener to obviate any possible misplacement of the shank and heel piece relatively to the shank stiffener as the work proceeds between the rolls. When the prongs of the shank stiffener pass between the rolls the prongs are forced through the fiber boa-rd and clenched against the upper surface of the fiber board in order to secure the work pieces together. A suitable chute (not shown), on the delivery side of the pressure rolls, conducts the assembled bot-torn unit to a suitable receptacle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for assembling a shank stiffener and a shoe bottom member, the combination with two mutually engaging pressure applying rolls of a carrier for inserting the stiffener and the member between the rolls, said carrier being characterized by the provision thereon of means constructed and arranged to engage opposite edges of the stiffener thereby positively to position the stiffener relatively to the carrier, and means constructed and arranged to engage opposite edges of the member thereby positively to position the member relatively to the carrier and relatively to the stiffener, said stiffener positioning means and said member positioning means being constructed and arranged to permit freedom of movement of the stiffener and the member longitudinally thereof relatively to the carrier by the operation of the rolls.

2. In a machine for assembling a shank stiffener and a stiffener mounting member to form a shoe bottom unit, the combination, with two mutually engaging pressure applying rolls, of a slide for inserting the stiffener and the member between the rolls, said slide being constructed and arranged to mount alternatively any one of a plurality of members for supporting shank stiffeners in predetermined relation to the member.

3. In a machine for assembling a shank stiffener and a backer, the combination, with two mutually engaging pressure applying rolls, of a slide for inserting the work pieces between the rolls, said slide being constructed and arranged to mount alternatively any one of a plurality of members for supporting shank stiffeners, and means on the slide for gaging the position of a backer relatively to the stiffener.

4. In a machine for assembling shoe parts, a carrier for transmitting shoe parts to an operating station, means on the carrier for positioning a shank stiffener in predetermined relation to the carrier, gages on the carrier for positioning a backer in predetermined relation to a shank stiffener mounted therein, and a presser for holding the backer against the stiffener.

5. In a machine for assembling shoe parts, a carrier for transmitting shoe parts to an operating station, means on the carrier for positioning a shank stiffener in predetermined relation to the carrier, gages on the carrier for positioning a shoe bottom element in predetermined relation to a shank stiffener mounted therein, a presser for holding the shoe bottom element against the stiffener, and a member operable first to actuate the presser and thereafter to advance the carrier.

6. In a machine for assembling shoe parts, the combination, with two mutually engaging pressure applying rolls, of a slide for inserting shoe parts between the rolls, said slide being characterized by means for determining the location thereon of any one of a plurality of interchangeable members for positioning shoe parts of different sizes.

7. In a machine for assembling shoe parts, a carrier for transmitting shoe parts to an operating station, said carrier being characterized by the provision of means therein for determining the position relatively to the carrier of any one of a plurality of interchangeable members for positioning shank stiffeners of different sizes,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Perry et a1. July 28, 1896 Page Apr. 24, 1917 8 Mayo NOV. 18, 1919 Bartels Apr. 7, 1925 Liss Jan. 14, 1930 Ashworth Oct. 6, 1931 Jalbert Feb. 10, 1942 Crandell July 13, 1943 

